Cavs-Pistons, Game 7. Winner gets the last spot in the NBA’s final four. Who has the most at stake? And who will ultimately advance to the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday (Prime, 8 p.m. ET)? Our writers weigh in.
What’s your take on Cavs-Pistons heading into Game 7?
Ben Rohrbach: Man, the Cavs blew a golden opportunity at home to put away the Pistons, who have looked ready to be put away twice before in these playoffs. But Detroit is getting awfully comfortable in do-or-die games, winning four straight decisively with its back against the wall. Now, Cleveland looks like the team ready to topple, as James Harden enters another Game 7.
Dan Devine: I’m not sure I trust either of these teams right now, but I think I trust Detroit’s ability to play to its identity — Cade Cunningham plus physicality plus turnover-creating defense — more than I trust the Cavs’ ability to play to … well, I guess I’m still not totally sure what its identity is.
Dan Titus: No surprises here — I called this going seven and the narratives we’ve been discussing all series long haven’t gone anywhere. Detroit’s bench was the story of Game 6. They carried the load while Cunningham struggled (7-for-19 FG with 7 turnovers) and still won. That’s a problem for Cleveland. The Cavs’ blueprint is clear, though: keep feeding their bigs to relieve pressure off Donovan Mitchell and Harden. Detroit’s path: Cade has to be the alpha again and Jalen Duren needs to rediscover his dominance as he did in Game 6.
Tom Haberstroh: May the steadiest team win. These are two turnover-happy teams that can’t seem to stop stepping on rakes in this series. Whoever can minimize their mistakes in Game 7 will punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals.
Who has the most at stake in Game 7?
Dan Devine: Donovan Mitchell, whose impressive playoff résumé — 27.8 points per game, the seventh-highest scoring average in NBA postseason history among players who’ve played at least 50 games — also includes some underwhelming moments, particularly in closeout games. And three games shooting under 40% from the floor in this postseason — including Games 5 and 6 against Detroit. Mitchell has yet to make it past the second round. This is the burden of stardom: What you do at this time of year is what we remember most, for better or for worse. On Sunday, it’s not just that the Cavs need Mitchell to produce a game to remember. He needs it, too.
Dan Titus: The Cavs’ backcourt. James Harden needs to finally show up in an elimination game. He’s averaging five turnovers per game in the playoffs and, in closeout games, he’s shooting 40% from the field, 31% from 3, and posting an underwhelming 1.44 AST/TO ratio. And Mitchell — 5-7 in closeout games, including going 6-for-20 from the field in Game 6 — has to be better as well. Both have a chance to rewrite their chronicled criticisms in the postseason.
Can Donovan Mitchell advance past the second round? (AP Foto/Sue Ogrocki)
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Haberstroh: Kenny Atkinson. Last year’s Coach of the Year is trying to avoid the curse that saw Mike Brown, Monty Williams, Tom Thibodeau, Nick Nurse, Mike Budenholzer and Dwane Casey receive pink slips shortly after earning the honor. It’s not as simple to say Atkinson’s job is on the line, but the offensive guru needs to make some magic in Game 7 to cool the seat.
Rohrbach: Jalen Duren. The 22-year-old is a restricted free agent at season’s end. He is also likely to be selected to an All-NBA team in the near future, making him eligible for a five-year, $288.8 million supermax contract extension. The Pistons would be crazy to pay him that much, as he’s underwhelmed in these playoffs, but a win in Game 7 could be worth millions to Duren.
Which team would be the tougher matchup for the Knicks?
Titus: Detroit. The Pistons swept the Knicks 3-0 in the regular season, winning by an average of 28 points. After last year’s first-round exit, Detroit will be eager for redemption. The Knicks are the stronger team right now, but Ausar Thompson consistently frustrates Jalen Brunson. While New York would ultimately prevail, the Pistons would push them to the limit, just as they have in every series so far.
Rohrbach: Detroit. The Cavaliers may have offensive firepower the Pistons do not, but Detroit can reach levels of defense and physicality that Cleveland can’t, and both are required against a Knicks team operating on all cylinders. If the Pistons can muck up the matchup enough, making it a war of isolation between Cunningham and Brunson, things could get interesting.
Haberstroh: I think the Knicks roll no matter the team, but I’ll say the Pistons, who swept Mike Brown’s group in the regular season. As a monster truck with the ball, Cunningham presents a defensive challenge for a Knicks team that will play with an iffy OG Anunoby. The reoriented Knicks with Karl-Anthony Towns at the controls should have little trouble scoring against either of these clubs.
Devine: Detroit, pretty comfortably, for me. The Knicks couldn’t do a damn thing with Cunningham, who averaged 27.3 points, 11.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game against New York, shooting 51.6% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 81.8% from the foul line. And with Thompson as the tip of the spear, Detroit held Brunson to 42.6% shooting and a 5-for-21 mark from long distance, with as many turnovers as assists (12) in 99 minutes. Yes, the New York team we’ve seen these past few weeks looks a hell of a lot better than the one whose doors the Pistons blew off in January and February. But those beatdowns loom large enough that, if I were Mike Brown and Co., I’d rather see Cleveland pull the Sunday upset and have to travel to MSG for Tuesday.
Who wins Game 7?
Haberstroh: Pistons. With margins so small, I’ll pick the team with home-court advantage going against Game 7 James Harden. The deeper it goes, the less confident I am in Harden’s game holding up. The 36-year-old has lost his previous three Game 7s beyond the first round. I think Pistons win the mud fight.
Devine: Pistons, on the strength of Cade’s seventh 30-plus-point performance of the postseason, and a defensive effort that holds Mitchell and Harden to a combined 35% shooting. Bonus prediction: Paul Reed — a.k.a BBall Paul, a.k.a. The Out the Mud Folk Hero, a.k.a. The People’s Champ — puts up a 5×5 off the bench, leaving fans wondering: Wait, which Pistons center was supposed to be getting the max, again?
Rohrbach: Pistons. We’ve seen what Detroit is made of in three straight close-out games against the Orlando Magic and one so far against the Cavaliers. They are tough and ready for the fight. And we think we know what both Cleveland and Harden are made of in these same situations, though they survived one already against an undermanned Toronto Raptors team.
Titus: Cavaliers. I’m sticking to my original prediction: Cleveland takes Game 7 on the road. The outcome hinges on Mitchell and Harden rising to the occasion, limiting turnovers, and consistently feeding the post. If the Cavs can force Detroit’s supporting cast to make plays instead of letting Cade beat them, they’ll have the edge. Expect a tight contest, but Cleveland pulls off the upset.
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